One diner, who was leaving the restaurant at the time of the incident, told the Evening Standard: ‘We were collecting our coats when a policeman came in and asked the girl on reception if he could speak to the manager.

‘He and the manager then walked round to the roof gardens. The manager then came back in and asked one of the bar guys to close the gardens and lock the gates.

This is the sixth death at the rooftop terrace, which was once owned by designer Sir Terence Conran.